From Kantatas to Lieder to Bluegrass – The Power of Text and Music: Study 3: (Westerfield) Got High Notes? J.S. Bach and Kantatas for Soprano

Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most prolific composers of all time. He composed over twelve hundred works, which include two hundred and fifty kantatas. While kantatas by J.S. Bach are generally for mixed chorus of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts, Bach also composed works for solo voice. This poster presenter analyzed and compared three kantatas written by Bach for solo soprano: Kantata 51 (Jauchzet Gott in Allen Landen), Kantata 82 (Ich habe Genung), and Kantata 199 (Mein Herze Schwimmt im Bult). The examination of the kantatas included comparison of the text of each kantata, especially as to how it related to the liturgical church year. Other considerations included the type of sopranos needed to perform each work, the orchestration of the accompaniment, treatment of melodic material including the vocal line, harmonic structure, complexity of contrapuntal style, and form. These characteristics all join to express the emotion, movement, and text painting that is the Baroque. The insights gained in this exploration serve to contribute to the understanding and accessibility of Baroque repertoire, repertoire by J.S. Bach, and repertoire for the soprano voice